Team Nova Side Stories

((Sorry for any potential formatting mistakes))

FRIENDSHIP
This story is CANON

---

Mira's House - ~6 months after Nova conquest

Marley sniffed the air as the teapot in the kitchen blew it whistle. "This... This is the blend Cheryl usually makes."

Mira nodded gloomily, sitting across from her friend by the small wooden table. "Yeah. Reminds Mira about... you know... back then."

Mira's house. A humble wooden residence a ways away from the beaten path and major cities. It's location was a major benefit; residing in what felt like a totally different world than the one currently consumed by chaos, discord, and uncertainty.

About a minute later, a short, elderly woman entered the room Mira and Marley were sitting in. She pushed a cart with a tea set, clearly needing to lean on it in order to support herself. "Tea, my dears?"

The two younger girls both sprang up to help set the table. Marley smiled at her and gave a small bow. "Thank you very much. I'm sorry to inconvenience you."

She smiled back. "Nonsense. You know you're as welcome in here as if it were your own home."

Mira's grandmother and legal guardian, affectionately called 'Gram' by her granddaughter. Marley almost envied how she showered Mira and her friends with seemingly unconditional love. She apparently raised Mira for as long as the latter could remember, with her birth mother passing away young, and her father leaving before she was born. To Mira, she was as close to her as her actual mother would've been. As far as Marley was aware, she was also the only family she had left.

Once the two girls had set the table, Mira's grandmother politely excused herself, leaving them alone.

Mira mustered up the courage to speak. "What... is it like out there?"

Marley took a sip from her drink. "You name it...Riots. Soldiers firing upon protesters. Pokemon being tainted, and their trainers... I've seen... things... I'd rather not have seen."

Mira shuffled in her seat. She was now secretly grateful that they didn't own a TV, and that their radio had gone kaput when it did. Just hearing about it all sent shivers down her spine, and her best friend actually saw it with her own eyes. "What about you? Or the others?"

"I have been trying not to draw attention to myself. I.. haven't been able to get in touch with my parents," Marley said. Her parents spent most of their time away on business or some other matter, the bulk of their interactions being through notes, phone calls, and relayed messages. She loved her parents, but she still felt some latent resentment over the resulting loneliness. "I know they shouldn't be in immediate danger, but... what if..." Marley shook her head. "As for the others, I haven't heard of them."

Mira stared downward at her untouched teacup. Her appetite for tea was long since passed, and she started feeling sick the more she thought about what Marley was saying. Her grandmother could be heard coughing loudly in the other room. "Y'know Marley, you could stay here for a while, if you want. Nobody bothers us or even knows we're here. It would be great for you to hide out, until the worst passes, at least."

"...There is another thing I wanted to speak about," Marley said. "Resistance teams have appeared, allegedly supported by legendary Pokemon, talking of full-scale rebellion. Two in particular are gaining traction, and there are rumors of a third."

"...Yeah?" Mira responded.

"The reason I'm bringing this is up is because I... there's someone who has connections to one of those teams -- Team Xerneas, they call themselves. I... want to enlist with them."

"What?!" Mira shouted. "Marley, that's... that's suicide! You saw how the Battle Frontier was torn apart! Trainers were gunned down, Pokemon like poor little Claydoll were hit with that Starburst thing, and entire buildings were destroyed in an instant! Sure, we know more about what they can do, but there's no way anyone can put up a fight against something like that!"<br><br>"Perhaps," Marley said plainly, "But I would find it far preferable than sitting by and doing nothing. Don't you hate bullies? It's kind of like that."

"This is different!" Mira retorted, standing up straight. "This isn't just some band of jerks making fun of someone or stealing their allowance money, this is an army who took over the world in a matter of days and are beating and killing anyone who resists! People are dying because of them!"

"That is exactly why we must fight!" Marley stated, in a rare instance of raising her voice. "The people at the PWT, the battle frontier, and everyone else around the world should be avenged, and the good people left should have someone fighting for them! I would rather die than--"

"Mira doesn't want <i>YOU</i> to die!" Mira shouted. "Mira's been worried sick about how we've heard nothing about the others, and Mira's been worried sick about you going out to the cities at a time like this, and now you're telling Mira that you're going to war and-- and saying stuff like <i>that</i>?!"

Marley felt a pang of sadness and guilt at Mira's outburst. Nonetheless, she held her ground. "...I know, Mira. I'm sorry. We're all suffering and I'd rather not add to it, but I simply cannot be dissuaded on this."

Mira huffed. She knew Marley had good intentions, and she was trying to hold her back because of some largely selfish reasons. "F-Fine then!" She pointed a finger directly at Marley, catching her off guard. "But you have to try to visit every once in a while. Deal?"

"...My honest intention was to ask if you would be willing to join me," Marley said. "I have suspicions that you actually feel as I do regarding all of this."

Mira's pointer finger wavered. "But... It's... Just that..."

Violent coughing could be heard farther away. A Kadabra's footsteps could be heard going down the hall to tend to Mira's grandmother.

"...Mira needs to take care of Gram," the girl finally murmured.

Marley nodded. "Understandable."

Mira sat back down as the two of them turned their attention to their drinks.

"...Mira'll miss you."

"...I'll miss you too," Marley said.

---

Later that night, Mira heard the doorknob turn while she sat huddled up on her bed.

"Mira, dear?" her grandmother stepped inside, supporting herself on a walker. "Are you okay?"

"Yep!" Mira forced herself to wear a cheery smile. "Mira was just thinking about stuff."

"Is everything okay between you and Marley, dear?" she said, slowly making her way to sit on the side of the bed. Mira scooted over to her in case she needed some help. "It sounded like you two were arguing."

"We're okay now," Mira answered.

"Are you sure?"

Mira nodded. "Mmm-hmm!"

"Well, that's a relief."

A silent moment passed.

"Hey Gram," Mira said, "Can Mira have some advice?"

"Of course."

"Well, it's about Marley, as you probably guessed," she said. "The thing is, she's Mira's best friend, but she's going to do something that Mira doesn't... disagree with, but Mira thinks it might not be the best way to do things, and is worried that something bad will happen because of it, but Marley can't be convinced not to do it. What do you think Mira should do?"

Gram nodded thoughtfully. "...Is there more context that you're not providing?" she asked.

"It's a bit... sensitive," Mira admitted.

She nodded in understanding. "It is difficult to say for certain without knowing the full story, but I think that if I were in your shoes, and I truly thought 'something bad' could happen, I would want to be there so that I could do whatever I could to make sure my friend would be safe. Provided, of course, that whatever Marley would be doing is for a worthy cause."

Mira gulped. "Okay. Thank you, Gram. Mira just needs time to... think..."

Mira's grandmother was about to respond when she had to hunch over as another coughing fit reared its ugly head. Mira looked at a mounted clock. "Gram, isn't it time for your medicine? Here, let Mira help you."

Mira's grandmother accepted Mira's help in standing back up, as the younger girl guided her away.

---

~1.5 years after Nova conquest

Arcanine sprang out of the woods, touching down at its trainer's desired destination. Its rider jumped off it, and petted its head.

"Thank you, Arcanine," Marley said. She held up its Pokeball, to which the creature gave a small whine while staring at her, clearly unwilling to go back just yet.

...I suppose it has been rather confined, recently.

"...Very well," Marley said. "You may run for a while longer. But don't go far, and only for a little while."

Arcanine nodded happily as it took off into the woods again. Marley turned and smiled as she walked over to Mira's house. This would be the second time she's visited ever since joining the resistance. Unfortunately, her first visit was cut shorter than any of them would've liked, and if her superiors had their way, this one wouldn't be much different. With the sun setting, she was supposed to be back by midnight.

I had hoped to get a gift for them, but they were insistent that I make this as quick as possible. Not that I have any intention... of...

Marley slowed to a halt as she neared the front door and saw a section of dirt that had recently been filled in. Her heart felt like it stopped.

...No. No. I shouldn't come to any conclusions. It could just be that...

Marley saw movement at the corner of her eye and saw Mira's Kadabra, stepping out the front door. It walked up to her.

Marley forced herself to speak, bracing herself for the answer. "Is... Is that...?"

Kadabra nodded. Marley had hoped that she was wrong.

"...And Mira?"

Kadabra gestured into the house. Marley followed it inside as it pointed over to Mira's bedroom. Marley nodded, and pushed the ajar door inward.

"Mira?"

The younger girl was huddled against the wall on her bed, her face buried in a pillow. She looked up upon hearing Marley. Her eyes were a deep red. "O-Oh, Marley. M-Mira didn't hear you..."

"I saw the grave," Marley said. "...Can I join you?"

Mira nodded. Marley kicked off her shoes and crawled over next to her, pressing her own back against the wall.

"...I-It was two days ago," Mira stuttered. "She... went away in her sleep... On her favorite sofa. Took a while to notice that she..."

"Mira, I--"

"Mira planted flower seeds on top after burying her," Mira continued, clearly rambling. "When Mira was younger, Mira once heard her telling someone else she'd like to be... like that... It felt so far away at the time, like it would never happen, but now... now..."

A heavy-hearted Marley watched as Mira's weeping began anew, lamenting her inability to think of anything to say. Instead, she hesitated a bit before bringing a hand to her shoulder.

"S-S-Sorry," Mira choked out. "M-Mira knows you can't stay long, b-but..."

Marley shook her head. "Forget it. I'll stay as long as you want. I don't care what my superiors say. I owe you that much."

Mira's sobbing gradually lessened with time, Marley trying to comfort her as best as she could. Eventually, Mira calmed down, and the two of them sat there silently.

"M-Marley?" Mira asked.

"Hmm?"

"What did you mean when you said you owed Mira?"

"...When we first met. When we were Schoolkids," Marley said. "I was a... loner. I came across as cold to the others and couldn't make friends, so they started... treating me like an outcast. They started spreading rumors about me... calling me names... Making fun of my outfits."

"Yeah... Mira remembers that," Mira said. She wiped her nose on the sleeve of her pajamas. "Those stupid jerks. They were doing all those mean things about someone they just didn't get!"

Marley nodded. "You... came up to me one day during recess. I was playing with Growlithe, and you asked me what kind of Pokemon it was. You said you hadn't seen it before."

Mira smiled. "They're from Kanto."

"I remember how you started getting very interested in it and asked if you could join in with playing with it. Then, you started asking about and complimenting my style of dress, and the day after that, you showed me your Abra, and... well, we started spending more time together. You were my first ever friend, truth be told."

"Mira didn't realize..."

The two of them sat silently for another moment.

"...Hey Marley," Mira said. "Remember the time when we had our first battle?"

The two of them spend the remainder of the night reminiscing about more pleasant times. Neither of them would be able to recall who was the first to fall asleep.

---

Marley blinked awake an unknown period of time later. She looked around and saw that Mira was nowhere to be seen. She looked up at the clock mounted on the wall. ...Dawn already?!

Marley rushed over to the window, looking outside to the sun starting to rise, and her Arcanine laying on the grass asleep. Marley heard rapid footsteps back in the house. Curious as to what Mira was doing, she walked out of the room. In the living room, she saw Mira packing a large backpack with clothes with Kadabra, who already had two bags slung around him and another smaller one around its arm. Kadabra pointed out Marley's presence to Mira.

"You're awake!" Mira said. "Finally! We should had already left hours ago!"

Marley blinked. "Mira? What's--"

"Mira's coming with you!" she declared. "Are you happy, or what?"

"What?" Marley said.

"Mira decided something yesterday," she said. "Mira's done moping and worrying and crying about losing things and people. Instead, Mira's going to come with you, no matter what may happen!"

"Wait... You want to join us?!" Marley exclaimed.

"Yep!" Mira said. "War is dangerous, and you're important to Mira, so Mira wants to be able to watch your back and protect you during it! And if Mira gets to kick Nova butt, then that's doubly great!"

Marley looked at Mira wide-eyed....I get it. She doesn't want to lose anyone else.

"...Heh." Marley said. "Okay. But I will warn you: it is a difficult life, full of discomfort, uncertainty, and a constant worry that maybe... maybe that day will be your last. Do you still want to go?"

"Of course!" Mira declared. "Didn't you hear a word Mira just said? It won't be easy getting rid of Mira!"

Marley smiled widely. "Perish the thought."

Look out Nova. Mira's on the loose.

...Although I do have doubts as to who will be protecting whom.</i>